Chapter 118 Dismissed
"Get in the car!" Jack yelled, hoping Alison would recognize his voice.
But the sudden shout only made Alison panic. She thought it was a bad guy and never expected Jack to be the one chasing after her.
So, Alison ran even faster, trying to shake off the "bad guy" behind her.
"Idiot!" Jack muttered under his breath, then jumped out of the car and sprinted after her.
In just a few strides, Jack caught up with the still-running Alison and grabbed her arm to make her stop. Alison screamed in panic, "Let go of me!"
"Are you serious? Didn't you hear me telling you to get in the car? Why'd you run? And so fast?" Jack was a bit angry, feeling like Alison was avoiding him like he was a ghost.
It was only then that Alison realized, panting heavily as she turned around, "Jack, it's you?"
"I've been trying to reach you. Why didn't you answer my calls?" Jack asked, still frustrated.
"What? That call was from you?" Alison asked, surprised. She thought it was the kids calling, so she had been running home as fast as she could.
"Didn't you see?" Jack's anger subsided a bit. It seemed she didn't know it was his call.
"My phone died just as I turned it on. I thought..." Alison suddenly realized there was no need to finish her sentence.
"Thought what?" Jack pressed on.
"I thought it was the kids calling because they were worried about me," Alison explained.
No wonder she ran so fast. Jack's anger had completely dissipated. It seemed chasing after her was the right decision, at least to clear up the misunderstanding. He pointed to the car and said, "I'll drive you home."
"No need, I was going to call a cab, but it seems hard to find one here." This area was full of wealthy people who all had cars, so cabs rarely came by.
"Get in the car!" Jack was a bit impatient. It was rare for him to offer to drive her home, and she was still refusing. Saying this, he grabbed her hand and walked her to the car, not caring whether she agreed or not.
Alison found herself seated in Jack's Lamborghini, unable to refuse his decision.
Once the car started, he drove straight towards her house without needing her to give the address.
The surroundings were so quiet that even the scent of the night seemed audible.
Outside the car window, occasional night walkers passed by, and the gradually dimming lights made the neon signs even more dazzling. The night was beautiful, like a painting.
But Alison's heart was in turmoil. She didn't know what Jack wanted to tell her after suddenly chasing her down.
He said he had something to tell her, but the car had been driving for a while, and he still hadn't spoken.
As they neared her neighborhood, she was almost home.
She habitually twisted the corner of Jack's shirt, and Jack noticed, saying, "You need to wash and iron this shirt before returning it to me."
"Huh?" His sudden comment startled her. He had so many clothes, did he really care about this one? She pouted and said, "Fine, I'll wash and iron it before returning it."
As they spoke, the outline of her neighborhood came into view, and Jack's car slowed down.
The car stopped at the entrance of the neighborhood. "Get out, I'll walk you upstairs."
"Jack, really, there's no need."
"I want a cup of coffee before I leave," he insisted stubbornly.
"Jack, if you have something to tell me, just say it now. I don't want the kids to know," she asked directly, hoping to stop him from coming inside.
Jack let go of the steering wheel, casually lit a cigarette, and said, "I'll pick you up after work tomorrow night, and I want you to cook me some noodles."
As soon as he said that, Alison's heart tightened. If she cooked him noodles, she feared all secrets would be revealed.
She quietly stared at his reflection in the car window, her heart pounding.
After a moment, she nodded slightly.
After all, for the sake of that $120,000, this was a fate she couldn't escape...
The night was deep, and the air was filled with the faint scent of mango trees. She walked home step by step, and when she looked back, he was already far away. Even if he was still standing there, she couldn't see him.
This feeling was so strange, making her rush into her room. However, once she closed the door, the room was silent, leaving her feeling empty.
While taking a shower, she saw the faint red marks he had left on her skin, remembering his whispered words as he bit her skin, each word hot and intense.
He knew he had already seen her as the real Alison, no longer just a stand-in for Emily.
But between them, there was still an Emily, and an Aimée.
Those truths she wanted to tell, but he wouldn't believe.
Without evidence, who would believe just her words? Even she sometimes doubted those things had really happened.
But the kids were the best proof.
She spent a restless night, tossing and turning with Jack's image in her mind, unable to sleep.
Tomorrow was the deadline.
Yawning as she walked into the office, Claire smiled slightly, her eyes full of smugness. Today, Claire was going to get rid of Alison.
She had already presented videos of Alison being distracted at work to the management department. It wouldn't be long before someone notified Alison of her dismissal.
Alison put down her bag and was about to turn on her computer when Claire, smiling, said, "No need to turn it on."
"Why?" Alison asked, turning her head to look at Claire, puzzled by her arrogant tone.
Claire chuckled and said, "Don't ask why. Here's a newspaper. You'll know once you read it." She had already made a deal with the manager of the management department. As long as she spoke well of him in front of Aidan, getting rid of Alison was a piece of cake. Such a good deal, what woman wouldn't take it?
"Claire, what will I know?" Alison's intuition told her something was wrong. Claire's expression indicated big trouble.
"No comment." Claire sat at her desk, opened her computer, and hummed a tune. She was about to get rid of the woman who had once caught the CEO's eye, bringing her one step closer to her own hopes.
Thinking of the CEO's handsome face made her heart race. Miss Sherry? Just a pretty face, nothing more. But her? She had both talent and beauty, and was the CEO's capable assistant. The CEO keeping her around showed her competence and, of course, his trust.
Alison turned around and still pressed the power button on her computer. The startup sound made Claire turn her head, annoyed.
"Before I leave, this is my job," Alison said loudly. Claire could say what she wanted, but until she knew the truth, Alison just wanted to work in peace. Whatever happens, happens. She was tired and didn't want to navigate this chaotic world anymore.
"You... you wait and see!" Alison's tone and her determined action of turning on the computer infuriated Claire. She immediately called the management department manager: "When will that decision be announced?"
"Claire, what's the rush? It's just the start of the workday. I'll have someone notify her soon."
"No, I want you to notify her now!" Claire turned to look at Alison, wishing she would disappear immediately.
"Fine, you notify her first, and I'll have someone call her right after."
"Okay, I'll say you told me to notify her." Claire smiled smugly and hung up the phone.
Alison had heard Claire's words and had a vague idea of what was happening.
"Alison, the management department manager wants you to go to the finance department now. Once you get your paycheck, you can go home." With that, everything was clear.